OMG Classical is the newest iteration of the Classical Revolution (CR) movement that began in 2006 in San Francisco’s Mission District when Conservatory viola student Charith Premawardhana began organizing quartet performances at the Revolution Cafe. His super-chill monthly series quickly expanded into several casual spaces across the city each week, and voluntary chapters in major cities around the country. The movement works to liberate classical music from the “tyranny of the concert hall” and make music for our non-musician friends, as smoking laws made bars and clubs safer environments.
Each Classical Revolution chapter depends on bold musicians to lead events with strong attitudes for service (agape), and tends to mix standard classical chamber music with jazz, pop, folk, rock covers, new music and collaborations. The best chapters open up both audiences and the musicians themselves, balancing spoken word, and novel activities with music. These events are developing a growing army of new ensembles and venues advancing a new classical that works both within and far outside of traditional arts bubbles.
Detroit Symphony Orchestra bassist and CutTime® founder Rick Robinson launched the Detroit chapter in 2010 during a 6-month strike. Classical Revolution Detroit fit perfectly with his artistic mission to push for “new classical” practices, effective methods “to serve the masses” unfamiliar with their public domain, and for priming them for full, epic symphonic and other classical music concerts. Read more to learn how he developed the series into the perfect introduction for so many.